In Colorado, three types of online educational choices are available for students: online schools and programs; supplemental online education; and blended learning. This issue brief covers each type of online education, as well as recently passed legislation related to supplemental online and...

During the 2008 session, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 08-1335, the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) act. The act replaced existing law concerning state financial assistance for public school capital construction and established a grant program in order to accelerate funding for...

Tiny houses are increasing in popularity as a housing option across the country. This issue brief provides a general overview of the various legal obstacles sometimes faced by individuals who want to own and live in a tiny house in Colorado. It also provides several examples of local and state...

Senate Bill 09-228, adopted by the General Assembly during the 2009 legislative session, created a five-year block of statutory transfers from the General Fund to pay for transportation and capital construction projects. This issue brief discusses the state law that specifies the amounts of...

According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2015 Colorado ranked 21st in the nation for the number of identity theft victims, with 123.2 victims per 100,000 population. Identity theft is generally defined as the unlawful use of personal identifying or financial information of another person to...

In FY 2020-21, Colorado received $314.5 million from tobacco-related sources.  These include taxes on cigarettes, other tobacco products, and nicotine products and payments from tobacco manufacturers as part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.  This memorandum describes the sources and...

State legislatures have emphasized the importance of collecting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to solve crimes. This issue brief describes legislative efforts, both in Colorado and across the country, to mandate that individuals convicted of or arrested for a crime submit a DNA sample for entry...

In lieu of issuing bonds, or using another form of long-term debt, the state often uses a form of lease-purchase agreement called certificates of participation (COPs) to finance the construction of its new facilities. A certificate refers to an investor's proportionate interest in the state's...

This memorandum provides information regarding state laws penalizing those who misrepresent pets or other animals as service animals. Nine states have laws prohibiting the misrepresentation of pets, and nine states have laws prohibiting people from misrepresenting themselves as disabled in order...